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Thursday, January 13, 2011

~Greetings and Salutations~

My name is D'Arsie Manzella and I am the female force behind Mamacita Beadworks.I hand cast beads, buttons and pendants in fine lead free pewter. I am sodelighted to be part of Love My Art Jewelry.

I see many things in my future here at LMAJ. Exciting chance encounters, spiritual revelations, and of course beautiful, heartfelt designs.

I'm a mother, a wife and a full time artist. I work in and around piles of toys, before and after meals and occasionally in peace and quiet.I've been sculpting my own bead designs for eighteen years. After my soul sister and I discovered polymer clay as girls, my creative world exploded. I studied ceramics at Fredonia State University in Western NY where the clay dictated my daily life. Yet it wasn't until after I married and moved to Asheville, NC in 2000, that I found the focus I needed and the teachers to inspire me to create seriously and market my beads.

My first business was Curvy Sasha Beadworks. I created small Goddess focal beads inspired by the Venus of Willendorf and celebrating the beauty of the female spirit . They sold locally and frequently and although I loved the freedom of polymer clay, I desired to work in metal. I wanted it with my whole heart. Events unfolded and I was smiled upon by the metal gods. I found myself hip deep in heavy machinery learning to cast pewter from Dr. Neon himself.All the planets aligned.

Mamacita Beadworks was born.

For the past five years I have fallen head over heals with my casting equipment. I still sculpt in polymer clay to create my originals. I then create a reusable rubber mold which I pop into my spin casting machine. A ladle full of molten metal goes in and when I remove the mold and crack it open there's a radiant sun of pewter sprues with all my tiny creations at the ends!

It's a little like dancing, and a little like wrestling with a bear some days, getting the equipment to preform just right. I am still learning and hope to never stop.

I can't wait to share with you what goes on behind my Beadworks, to contribute what knowledge I can and to see where this cyber path leads. Thank you to all who create with my beads, buttons and pendants. I am honored by you all~ And thanks again to the bombastic women who are part of Love My Art Jewelry!!

kiss kiss,Mamacita(AKA D'Arsie Manzella)

P.S.My parents were creative with their children's names. I am not exotic. I am mostly french. My name is pronounced "DAR-c" but you can call me Mamacita.

8 comments:

thank you for the magnificent introduction! i am an admirer and wearer of your work - your wise mama is frequently seen across my throat... so very much looking forward to learning more about you and your work -

I'm really excited about learning more about your work with metals! To see D'Arsie's webpages, copy and paste this link.... Very cool work!!! http://www.lovemyartjewelry.com/D_Arsie_Button_Gallery.html